Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to firearms and in particular to a new and useful method and device for positioning ammunition feeds of an automatic weapon to bring them into different feed positions and into a secured position.
From German Patent No. DE-PS 23 03 953 an automatic firearm with an advancing and retracting breech and with a cartridge feed device is known, by which at least two different types of ammunition can, by switching, be brought into the supply path of the breech. As can be seen from FIG. 4 of th German patent document referred to, a twin belt feed is introduced and supported for transverse displacement in the cradle (not shown in detail) of the automatic weapon. The drive head has been brought into its guideways and locked, so that the position of the belt feed relative to the housing of the weapon is exactly defined. The belt guides and the compartments of empties are snapped in at the belt feed housing directly. Thus, the ammunition can be moved up to the cartridge stop by the transport star wheels in every position of the belt feed. By very simple mechanical means, which can be adapted to the respective type of mount, as for instance a turret or field mount, a controlled transverse displacement of the belt feed is now chosen at start of firing, so that the desired type of ammunition is immediately available. At the start of firing, the breech takes along the cartridge which is in a feed position and exactly fixed by the belt element and the transport star wheel, and introduces it into the cartridge magazine. If there is a change of ammunition, the ammunition feed is moved from the position occupied until then, i.e. transversely to the breech, until the belt with the new ammunition is in readiness for the removal of cartridges by the breech. This then is the second ammunition feed position.
Between the two ammunition positions is the so-called secured position, in which the breech cannot grip the cartridges either of the first or of the second belt.
Due to the large number of parts needed for guiding and supporting the ammunition feed, manufacturing tolerances add up, and it can therefore not be insured that the ammunition feed stands exactly in a respective feed position or in a central secured position.